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Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Cynthia Bolbach

   The past few weeks have been filled with discussion about the future of the PC (USA). A "White Paper" entitled "Time for Something New" talked about the need for the "re-creation" of the denomination (http://www.cpconline.org/fellowship_pcusa).  Much comment ensured in the wake of the paper's issuance, including a letter sent out by Gradye Parsons, Linda Valentine, and me (www.pcusa.org/news/2011/2/4/time-discernment/.  The Middle Governing Bodies Commission, tasked with thinking creatively about how our presbyteries and synods can most effectively do ministry, held its second meeting. The Special Committee to Study the Nature of the Church in the 21st Century had its first meeting, as did the Task Force to Study Racial-Ethnic and New Immigrant Church Growth. Registration for a conference to be held at the end of this month on the topic of the "Next Church" is completely filled.

     There is both excitement and anxiety in our midst -- excitement over the ideas and thoughts that are being raised and discussed, coupled with anxiety over not knowing how, exactly, we will manage and control this change.  What will our PC (USA) world look like five years from now?

     I don't know the answer to that question -- but I do know that we cannot accept the status quo, we cannot do nothing.

     And I believe that a good start in managing the change will be adoption of the proposed new Form of Government. I'm obviously completely biased in its favor, having spent four years as a member of the FOG Task Force. Adoption of nFOG won't answer the question of what our PC (USA) world will look like in five years. But I believe its adoption will create a launching point from which presbyteries and congregations can do mission and ministry in countless imaginative and creative ways. 

     There have been lots of questions raised about the nFOG. Dan Williams, the Co-Moderator of the Form of Government Task Force, has created a blog to try and answer many of these questions. I urge you to check it out: http://pcusa4nfog.wordpress.com/

• Posted at 8:02 p.m.
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